jaym481

While I hope the Cornonation coaches are up to the standard of the recent Coronation Scot releases, I'll hold off any pre-orders until I see samples, as it is Hornby, and they can be, um, inconsistent. That the average price of an individual Cornoation coach is going to be about £15 less than that of the concurrent releases of new Cornonation Scot coaches makes me wonder. Surely the articulation alone can't account for the difference. Perhaps the livery is less complicated to produce?

^This. And all of the frothing around the issue will be free publicity, especially if Hornby can frame it as two foreign companies denying British culture to a long-established homegrown company with ties to the childhoods of millions of Britons. Kind of suits the insular views that've become fashionable of late.

I saw one bid to over £800. Astonishing.

They are listed on eBay. SECR and GNoSR variants have already sold out apparently.

I used a little Blu-Tack to hold the screw to the tool.

Thank you. It appears PC Models is the likely source. I was able to look at a photo of an unbuilt LNER coach on the Hatton's site, and the sides look identical in print. I think I can get the bogies off, but the mounting screws will also have to go, so some surgery may be required. The articulated bogies will be a much simpler proposition. I think I'll get the Isinglass artic bogies. By the way, I also have the Ultima N gauge kit built. It's a very nice kit as well.

At least it's a mystery to me, though hopefully someone will recognize it fairly quickly. A few years ago, just before I left the UK to return to Canada, I purchased a "box o' bits" which has been langushing since I wasn't doing OO modeling until recently. I just started getting my small LNER collection out to sort, and found this kit-built restaurant triplet set (RTS) that appears to have been built from pre-printed sides, though the lettering seems to be decals. It has interior details, and seems well done, but I don't know who produced the original kit. If anyone could tell me I would appreciate it. I would like to take it apart some to repair some loose bits inside and add passengers, as well as replace the bogies which are quite rough now.

Thanks. If it looks too daunting for me at this point, I'll set it aside for a later build and try something else. I think I'll give it a try though. Does the platform that is part of the kit fit with other platform kits, such as Metcalfe?

Thanks for the reminder. I saw what you mean when I did that. It shines up nicely with the burnishing pen.

Thank you. I think that covers what I was looking for. Now to see if my soldering skills are up to the task.

Thanks all. I think I'll use the Wills kit as a starting point. Maybe some day I'll be able to 3d print something bespoke..

Looking at the Tillig double slip I have (see photos) it appears to be an easy job to install, but before I go ahead I'd like to confirm I have it right. The instructions that come with the slip are fairly clear, but the translation is a bit stilted, so I'd like to make sure I understand. One image shows the structure of the slip. The instruction sheet indicates the links from the stock rails go to the points. The other picture is what I assume the wiring will be. I'm aware that the frog wiring switch is for the opposite point motor, but I don't see any other complication. Am I missing anything?

Thank you @phil_sutters for the lovely photos of Battle, which led me down a pleasant internet rabbit-hole of photos of that station. All, thank you for the advice so far. I have the Minnis work, and it has helped immensely, but I fear my knowledge gaps are more in what's available as models, than what the SER (and SE&CR) actually built. That said, my overall knowledge is still pretty rudimentary. Also rudimentary are my modelling skills, which thus far are limited to a few wagons and structures available as kits. I'll undertake scratch building at some point, I'm sure, but not yet (maybe never, if my shakey hands only get worse). James( @Edwardian) asked a few helpful questions about my plans, and i thought the answers would be useful here. But first I have to reiterate that I'm and ocean and part of a continent away fro the UK, so please keep that in mind. Books are very expensive to ship from the UK to Canada, so I have limited choice in that department. I haven't localized my station in the SE&CR area, so at this point it could be anywhere on the system, though I'm favouring areas of SER origin. My baseboards are modular, in 2'x4' and 2'x2' blocks at the moment. The intent is to build the first modules (two of the former, one of the latter) as a terminus on a twin track line, or a single line that splits into two but off-scene. The modular construction leaves room to expand to a continuous run with fiddle yard when space permits (in the interim the file yard will be cassettes, then a transfer table module). Thus the ultimate goal will be a two track through country station. I've attached the track plan for phase 1 below. The turntable is inspired by the photo of Bromley West in the Minnis book. The platforms are sort of staggered (apologies for the artwork - a limitation of Railmodeller Pro). The goods sidings include a goods shed and loading platform with crane, as well as coal merchant's yard and coal bins. Engine shed for the station pilot, and servicing area with coaling and watering facilities located near the turntable. I've built the two main modules and begun laying track-bed for the two main tracks. Everything else is subject to possible changes or suggestions. Thanks again for the help so far .

Thank you all for the suggestions. I'll check them out. @Tom Burnham thank you. From what I've seen the staggered platforms still featured in many stations, but a number had also evened them up, along with raising platform height, by the middle of the 1910s. Mine being fictional, I was going to do the latter as my space is limited.

I was intending for it to be a small-mid sized station on a double track main line, with express through traffic and local stopping services and goods. I was thinking one of the kits for a wooden station might do the trick as the basis, but I'd probably need to scratch build the rounded roof platform canopy typical of SER.

Being in the colonies and having only the internet to rely on, I'm having trouble answering a question: are there any OO station buildings suitable for the SE&CR area (SER/LC&DR) circa 1905-1913? Ready to plant, kits or kits that are suitable for kit bashing. The only one I could find was the Hornby "Terminus Station" set which is based on Rye, but as Rye is unique, I would prefer something a bit more typical.

As they aren't charging extra to fill out customs forms for the rest of the world outside the EU, I hardly think that's justification for the minimum. It's coincidentally close to the amount under which they have to collect VAT at point of sale in accordance with the recent agreements. I don't blame them for not wanting to collect and remit taxes for other countries.

Thank you gentlement for the information. Certainly a good starting point. I plan to crack on with a few figures this weekend.

Thank you gentlemen, especially for pointing out the danger of making assumptions. Perhaps I should send a query to one or two of the societies as suggested.

Noted on the red ties. Nobody has a cap in hand, so no lining visible. A couple of the firemen are in waistcoat, which I suspect would match the colour of the coat, but I may be wrong. Am I safe with a shade of dark blue for the uniform coats and trousers?

I've just received some of Andrew Stadden's excellent Edwardian figures and must get to painting. There is quite a bit on line about fashions worn by typical folk, but I haven't been able to find anything specific for engine crews and station staff. I've seen a few pictures, but guessing clothing colours from a black and white photo is not my forte. My inclination is that most coats would be a shade of blue (various shades if the photos are an accurate indication), to distinguish them from the dark greys and blacks common in gentlemen's fashion. Can anyone offer confirmation, suggestions or guidance? Unfortunately, I'm a few thousand miles from the UK, so a museum visit is out of the question.

I see your point about the UK market, and if I'm not mistaken you model N gauge, so a niche within a niche and I suspect your right, though you may be mistaken about the market for OO. I guess we'll never know for sure unless someone tries. I've managed to get part way through Carl's videos, along with a couple of others, and hopefully I'll be able to develop enough skill to draw what I'm looking for, but my time constraints are enough that I keep having to re-watch and I don't anticipate I'll be near to drawing anything any time soon. Maybe a wagon body that'll fit on a RTR chassis by the end of summer. Sorry, while fantasy is huge, historical is also big, though mainly buildings, with figures only now getting some attention. And if you think they can get away with "naff freelance" in the historical wargaming world, you'd be wrong. "Proper railway modelling" being somehow more into research is parocial nonsense. The same type of rivet counting goes on about the location of the headlights on a 1938 Bedford 3 tonner, or the length of a Napoleonic French fusilier's bayonet (to say nothing of hats - quite a bit of ink and electrons get spilled over headgear in Napoleonic miniatures). I should also point out that historical wargamers are a similar demographic to model railway enthusiasts - middle aged (or older) and male for the most part. I find the similarity of online discussions in the two hobbies to be striking. It really doesn't matter what you think others are demanding of you for scale or prototype, does it? It matters if there are 100 people with 3d printer access who would fund whatever prototype you thought might work. Anyway, I've made the case as best as I can. Perhaps if I get to the point where I feel comfortable with 3D CAD myself I'll give it a punt.

Outside of the model railway realm there's a booming business in providing STL files. A good example is wargames terrain and buildings, as well as figures (which are really an art). Usually done through a Kickstarter or similar where the offer includes a license for personal use and a license for commercial use. The developer is the one who sets the parameters, so if the pledges don't meet the goals, there's nothing exchanged. A pledge is nothing upfront, but it is a commitment to buy if the goals are met. For those who already have a portfolio of STLs it could mean a significant intake if the models are desireable and there's sufficient numbers of people with access to printers. By judiciously offering primary and stretch goals, and making the packages available at suitable market pricing it could turn out quite well. To give you an example: Say you have a portfolio of a dozen STLs of various wagons for a particular railway. You offer up four as the basic Kickstarter - two open variants, and van and an brake van. That has a basic pleadge of £40 for a personal use license, and £80 (or more - up to you) for a commercial use license. Set a start goal of £4000. That's £1000 per STL - consider it what you'd be paid for the work for each file. Do the maths - if it takes you 40 hours to draw a wagon, you're getting paid £25/hour - I expect the hourly would be somewhat better. Now add stretch goals - if the pledges reach certain levels, more wagons added for ther same price to those who pledge, but the bottom line for the designer increases. Now, I honestly don't know what Kickstarter's cut is, so that would have to be accounted for of course, but I still think it'd be more lucrative than the alternatives - unless you are ready to make it a whole business and do the 3d CAD, printing, prep and shipping yourself. If the basic goal isn't met, the project fails and nothing is paid - I'm not sure if the developer still has a obligation to Kickstarter, but I think they do not. The alternative is to offer them up on Shapeways and hope the ever diminishing clientele (due to postage and customs) keeps putting beer money in your pocket every month or so. Here's my perspective: I have zero 3D CAD skill. I also have very little time to devote to learning 3D CAD (two jobs and family). I do, however, have a certain amount of disposable income, and a 3d printer (two actually - a filament printer and a resin one). I have no ambition to become a "manufacturer" of model railway items (that time thing again). I would happily pay £60-£100 for an STL of a wagon common to my railway, which would take me relatively little time (the printer runs while I can do other things) to print 10-20 wagons. I don't think I'm alone.

I hope I'm not out of line by sticking my oar in and saying I'd be in for purchasing an STL or two (or many more). I'm having a hard time finding the hours to follow the tutorials and lear the techniques for drawing something even as simple as an open wagon body to put on a Peco chassis. My interest is pre-Grouping, mainly SE&CR pre WW1. I've been admiring your pre-Grouping wagons in the other thread. Regards, Jay

@woko Excellent work sir. I've sent you a couple of questions by PM.